Willow Creek Trials
by valkyrz
Summary: Regan is an aspiring artist who has spent her entire childhood and teen years in a foster system. She and her twin brother Cain sprung free once they are old enough. Regan moved to Willow Creek to start her life and to finally achieve her dreams of being a renowned artist and owning her own gallery. She faces trials and consequences of adulthood.


Regan and her twin brother Cain are finally free from the foster system and tackling the world on their own. Willow Creek will be a new beginning for Regan, an aspiring artist who dreams of owning her own art gallery. She faces new turmoils and trials and must overcome the struggles that come her way. Will she find it with Willow Creek resident, Eric Lewis, a married man, or the ever quiet and shy bachelor Hades Richards? Let's just say Regan has a lot she'll have to face and overcome. / This story is based off my own playing adventures. Hades is based off the misunderstood greek god as well as his two younger brothers Poseidon and Zeus.

_Willow Creek, here I come!_ Regan had thought to herself after finishing unpacking the last of her boxes. She started her job as a palette cleaner tomorrow. Eager to please Regan intended to bring a few small paintings with her hoping her boss would look over them. Regan had painted ever since she was so small she could barely walk; she couldn't promise they were pictures other than just splotches of paint with a brush and smears with her hands but she perfected her hobby into an extraordinary talent.

Regan flipped her radio on and seconds later an upbeat tune started to play. She cranked the volume up and danced her way into the kitchen where she pulled what ingredients she had out at the time to make some salsa for chips. In a lower tone than her music she was singing along and barely heard the doorbell. She paused for a moment thinking she was hearing it when she wasn't when she really was. By the second ring she was brushing her hands off, hurrying over to turn the music down, and answer the door.

"Oh, hi, was my music too loud? I'm sorry." Regan assumed the reason behind the tall, dark, and handsome gentleman for being here. She received a smile and a gentle shake of his head.

"No, actually, I'm here to welcome you to the neighborhood. My wife said you moved in a few days ago and it looks like," he trailed off momentarily as he looked inside her home to see she appeared to be fully unpacked, "you've got every thing situated already. If I had known sooner I would have offered some help."

Regan smiled in response and nodded. She hardly ever sat still and rarely rested while unpacking so she was able to finish a lot faster. She hugged her front door a little looking up at the much taller male.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Eric. I live a few houses down." he introduced himself, holding his hand out.

Regan looked down at it and back up at him, never letting the small smile on her lips slip. She took his hand to shake. "My name is Regan. It's nice to meet you and, uh, thank you for stopping by. Would you like to come in? I was just making some salsa for some chips."

Eric's eyes lit up shamelessly at the mention of food. He smiled wide and nodded gently. "Only if I'm not intruding." he politely answered her.

She shook her head and moved to the side allowing him to step inside her home. Regan closed the door and turned to face him, watching as he looked around at her tiny, cozy home. He seemed more interested in the paintings she had hung up with her signature at the bottom right corner of each. He walked over to one of two women in the middle of a flower field with a pair of dobermans nearby. One of the women was blonde and the other was a light brunette (looking an awful lot like Regan). The brunette and the dogs seemed to watching over the blonde as she picked flowers.

"Did you paint these?" Eric asked, looking over at her. He received a gentle nod from Regan who joined him at his side to look at the picture.

"This one is beautiful." he commented, pointing at it and just staring in awe at it. He looked over at her and watched the sadness come over her face. He suddenly found himself confused and concerned at the same time. "What's wrong?"

The sadness was gone and replaced with a glowing smile as if she was able to turn certain emotions off and on at the flip of an inner switch. She shook her head. "Nothing, I'm sorry. Would you like something to drink, too? I've got some lemonade." Regan extended her hospitality.

Eric smiled lightly and nodded.

He followed her into the kitchen where he saw the half done salsa where she had blended the ingredients in a blender. "You aren't allergic to anything, are you?" Regan curiously asked taking the lid off and pouring it into a bowl. She scraped the sides with a rubber spatula leaving no salsa behind.

"No, not that I'm aware of." he answered back at her.

Regan fetched a bag of chips and emptied half the bag into another bowl. Eric sat down at the barstool across from her while she just leaned on the counter. She dipped and plucked a chip into her mouth. "I hope you like spicy." she commented with a smile.

Eric returned the smile. "Spicier the better." he retorted and did the same. A soft hum of approval came from the man over the homemade salsa. "Oh, that is good."

Regan beamed with excitement and smiled wide and bright, plucking another salsa dipped chip into her mouth shortly after swallowing the last.

Eric couldn't resist the next few chips he plucked into his mouth. Salsa was so simple and so easy to make and he absolutely loved hers. "Do you cook as well as you make salsa?" he asked her, shamelessly still chewing at the chips in his mouth.

Regan's wide and bright smile remained as she nodded. "I like to think I do." she answered somewhat smugly. She was already contemplating on asking if he wanted to stay for dinner or maybe come over another night for dinner. He mentioned he had a wife; he was more than welcomed to bring her.

She plucked a salsa dipped chip into her mouth before she remembered she offered him lemonade. She tore away from the counter like she had just been caught procrastinating at work to fetch two glasses. "I'm so sorry, I forgot to get you something to drink!" she apologised.

She didn't see the shake of his head or him finish the little bit of food in his mouth. "It's okay, Regan. Really." he told her.

The young female poured lemonade from a clear, plastic pitcher into two glasses and set one in front of Eric. He smiled and nodded at her as to thank her and took a drink of the lemonade.

"Lemonade is homemade too." Regan admitted proudly, forgetting that just seconds ago she was a poor host and forgot to get him something to drink.

Eric looked at her over the glass with raised brows. He put the glass down and licked his lips. A small hum of approval came from him. "It's some pretty good lemonade." he told her, taking another drink.

Regan smiled and put the lemonade away. "I, uh, was just going to snack for dinner tonight and save myself a trip into town but if you and your wife would like to come over tonight, or even tomorrow night, I could make some dinner." Regan nervously offered. He looked at her over her invitation to join her for dinner and he smiled warmly.

"I would love to join you for dinner and introduce my wife to you. I'm not quite sure she can take spicy though like I can. Like we can." he mentioned. He managed a small, soft giggle from Regan as she nodded.

"How does spaghetti sound?"

Eric nodded, approving. "That sounds wonderful. You've got to be able to top your salsa here." he told her. He got another small chuckle out of the girl and a nod.

"Oh, I can. I promise. How does seven sound tomorrow?"

Again he nodded as he was standing up from the barstool. "That sounds great, Regan. We'll see you tomorrow." he said.

Regan showed him out with a friendly 'see ya later'. Eric realised he forgot to ask Regan if he could bring his daughter over to meet her.

Things were going to be okay. Already one resident of the neighborhood was making her feel welcomed. Regan immediately went to making a list of things she would need for dinner tomorrow.


End file.
